


slow down (we've got time left to be lazy)

by MissSpock



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur's come back, M/M, Merthur - Freeform, Post series finale, they're dating and living in the same apartment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 09:47:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4782881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSpock/pseuds/MissSpock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur flips through TV channels and somehow manages to catch his great great great great--something granddaughter on TV. A somewhat serious conversation concerning age happens. Merlin thinks it's adorable, really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	slow down (we've got time left to be lazy)

Merlin had just returned from the kitchen when Arthur asked the question.

“…Is that the queen?”

They were sitting on the couch in Merlin’s flat two months after Arthur’s return to the land of the living. Arthur’s flipping through channels watching telly and Merlin’s simultaneously reading a book and baking cookies (magically, of course) in the kitchen.

At the question, Merlin looked away from the book he was reading up to the telly for a moment.

“Yeah. Why?”

“…So that’s my…?”

“That is your I’m-not-even-going-to-attempt-to-count-the-greats-granddaughter. Yes.”

Arthur scrunched up his nose in an expression that Merlin found simultaneously adorable and exasperating.

“But she’s…old.”

Merlin snorted. “You’re one to talk.”

“I’m not old,” Arthur protested, glaring.

“You’re as old as I am.”

“You’re not old.”

“I just don’t look it,” Merlin grinned.

Cheeky.

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Idiot.”

“Prat.”

“Wimp.”

“Clotpole.”

Amiable silence filled the room.  Merlin went back to his book.

Arthur was still staring intently at the telly.

And then, all of a sudden: “How old are you?”

“Hmm?” Merlin looked up, blinking, bemused expression on his face.

“How old are you?”

Merlin’s brows furrowed together. “Er…I’m not actually sure.”

Arthur gave him ‘the look.’ “ _Mer_ lin.”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright. At least two thousand.”

“So…I’m dating a two-thousand something immortal idiot.”

“...You’re at least two thousand too, you prat."

"...I guess I  _am_  old, huh?"

"Yes. Yes you are."

Another moment of silence. Merlin had just turned the page when another question nearly made him launch the book across the room in frustration.

"So how come you don't have a beard?"

"For god's sake Arthur."

"Well?"

"Magic. And you call  _me_  an idiot..."

"...how come I don't have a beard?"

"You were kind of, you know,  _dead_."

Arthur grew quiet. 

Merlin sighed, waiting for the inevitable.

And it came. "You're immortal."

It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes. Didn't I tell you that?"

"I mean...I know you can't die...but...can you grow old like...other people?"  _Like me?_  

"Yeah. I grew a white beard as long as my knee before you came back." Merlin grinned. "I kept dipping it in ponds whenever I would bend over. Why do you wanna know?"

"Because," Arthur gestured.

Merlin looked at the once and future king like he'd grown three heads.

"...I...want to grow old with you." Arthur finished awkwardly, cringing as he stared at the ceiling.

Silence, for what seemed like an eternity.

When Arthur, still a bit red in the face although he would never admit it, finally glanced over to Merlin, the sorcerer was smiling.

"Good thing I can grow old, huh?" the dark haired boy said. And then he looked over his shoulder. "Hmm. Cookies are done."

Comfortable silence. Merlin picked up his book and flipped to the dog-eared page. Arthur, clearing his throat, grabbed the remote control again, and flipped through channels that were pointedly  _not_  news.

All was right with the world again. 

And then, sprouting suddenly from the silence: "Do you wanna grow old with me?"

" _For god's sake Arthur._ "

"Do you?"

"... _yes_ , you clotpole, now shut up and let me read in peace!"

 


End file.
